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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Revealed: secret Brexit plans for transition extension to appease DUP | Revealed: secret Brexit plans for transition extension to appease DUP |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Secret plans to allow an extension of the transition period in the Brexit withdrawal agreement could result in the UK living under all EU rules well beyond the 21 months so far negotiated, the Guardian can reveal. | |
| The expected offer of an extension is designed to convince Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist party, that the “backstop” plan to avoid the creation of a hard border on the island of Ireland will never come into force. | The expected offer of an extension is designed to convince Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist party, that the “backstop” plan to avoid the creation of a hard border on the island of Ireland will never come into force. |
| If such a clause was triggered, the whole of the country would be locked into a prolonged period of what EU diplomats have previously described as a state of “vassalage”, with the House of Commons being forced to accept Brussels regulations without having any say on them. | If such a clause was triggered, the whole of the country would be locked into a prolonged period of what EU diplomats have previously described as a state of “vassalage”, with the House of Commons being forced to accept Brussels regulations without having any say on them. |
| It is also likely that the UK would need to make additional budget contributions on top of its £39bn divorce bill to cover the extra timeit would benefit from EU membership. It would not, however, have any representation in the bloc’s decision-making institutions despite the extra period under EU law. | It is also likely that the UK would need to make additional budget contributions on top of its £39bn divorce bill to cover the extra timeit would benefit from EU membership. It would not, however, have any representation in the bloc’s decision-making institutions despite the extra period under EU law. |
| The plan to include an extension clause in the withdrawal agreement is being discussed privately by European commission and UK negotiators at the talks in Brussels, senior EU sources told the Guardian. The length of any extension is yet to be agreed. A European commission spokesman declined to comment. | The plan to include an extension clause in the withdrawal agreement is being discussed privately by European commission and UK negotiators at the talks in Brussels, senior EU sources told the Guardian. The length of any extension is yet to be agreed. A European commission spokesman declined to comment. |
| In current plans, the backstop, under which the whole of the UK would stay in a customs union while Northern Ireland alone effectively stayed in the single market, would be enacted in December 2020 if a bespoke technological solution or trade deal could not be reached by then. | In current plans, the backstop, under which the whole of the UK would stay in a customs union while Northern Ireland alone effectively stayed in the single market, would be enacted in December 2020 if a bespoke technological solution or trade deal could not be reached by then. |
| Foster has insisted she will not accept any Brexit deal under which Northern Ireland is treated differently to the rest of the UK. | Foster has insisted she will not accept any Brexit deal under which Northern Ireland is treated differently to the rest of the UK. |
| London and Brussels hope the possibility of an extension of the transition period could assuage the DUP’s concerns, and garner support in Westminster for the deal. | London and Brussels hope the possibility of an extension of the transition period could assuage the DUP’s concerns, and garner support in Westminster for the deal. |
| Jean Claude Juncker, the European commission president, expressed his confidence on Friday that a deal would be struck for the prime minister to sell back home. | Jean Claude Juncker, the European commission president, expressed his confidence on Friday that a deal would be struck for the prime minister to sell back home. |
| “People who put all their chips on the hypothesis of no agreement are wrong; we must find an accord and I think we will find it,” he told Le Monde. | “People who put all their chips on the hypothesis of no agreement are wrong; we must find an accord and I think we will find it,” he told Le Monde. |
| “We need to make substantial progress, which we’ll review next week,” Juncker added, referring to a leaders’ summit that will start on Wednesday night with a dinner at which Brexit will be the focus of the discussion. | “We need to make substantial progress, which we’ll review next week,” Juncker added, referring to a leaders’ summit that will start on Wednesday night with a dinner at which Brexit will be the focus of the discussion. |
| A senior EU diplomat said that the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, could arrive at the European commission on Monday, should a deal be agreed during intensive talks over the weekend. | A senior EU diplomat said that the Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, could arrive at the European commission on Monday, should a deal be agreed during intensive talks over the weekend. |
| “Mr Raab has stated he might come to Brussels on Monday”, the diplomat said. “It all depends on progress still having to be made between now and that moment. The negotiating teams are back in their offices today discussing outcome of talks over last few days.” | “Mr Raab has stated he might come to Brussels on Monday”, the diplomat said. “It all depends on progress still having to be made between now and that moment. The negotiating teams are back in their offices today discussing outcome of talks over last few days.” |
| Theresa May asked in September last year for a transition period, which she optimistically described in her Florence speech at the time as a period of implementation of aspects of the future trade deal, including migration controls. | Theresa May asked in September last year for a transition period, which she optimistically described in her Florence speech at the time as a period of implementation of aspects of the future trade deal, including migration controls. |
| The prime minister had said it would be limited” to a period of about two years. She had added that she did not believe the British people would “want the UK to stay longer in the existing structures than is necessary”. | The prime minister had said it would be limited” to a period of about two years. She had added that she did not believe the British people would “want the UK to stay longer in the existing structures than is necessary”. |
| Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, suggested soon after that he would only be open to an extension if it proved necessary to negotiate a trade deal. | Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, suggested soon after that he would only be open to an extension if it proved necessary to negotiate a trade deal. |
| Mujtaba Rahman, a former Treasury and European commission official, and now head of Europe for the Eurasia Group risk consultancy, said an extra six months would be needed if only for a trade deal to be negotiated and ratified by all the member states’ parliaments. | Mujtaba Rahman, a former Treasury and European commission official, and now head of Europe for the Eurasia Group risk consultancy, said an extra six months would be needed if only for a trade deal to be negotiated and ratified by all the member states’ parliaments. |
| “The UK has no choice but to ask for a mechanism to extend the transition, not least to further mollify the DUP,” Rahman said. “But doing so is also a recognition of reality: both the UK and the EU’s political leadership will change next year, meaning substantive trade negotiations are unlikely to begin until September 2019 at the earliest. | “The UK has no choice but to ask for a mechanism to extend the transition, not least to further mollify the DUP,” Rahman said. “But doing so is also a recognition of reality: both the UK and the EU’s political leadership will change next year, meaning substantive trade negotiations are unlikely to begin until September 2019 at the earliest. |
| “A further six months will be needed for national parliaments across the EU to ratify the deal. This would leave only six months to negotiate an incredibly complex FTA [free trade agreement] with the EU, which is absurd. More time will be needed.” | “A further six months will be needed for national parliaments across the EU to ratify the deal. This would leave only six months to negotiate an incredibly complex FTA [free trade agreement] with the EU, which is absurd. More time will be needed.” |
| Jacob Rees-Mogg, who leads a group of pro-Brexit politicians, told Bloomberg that extending the transition would be an “expensive mistake”, as it would tip the UK into contributing to the next seven-year cycle of the EU budget. But his language was less forceful than usual. He has previously described the transition period as a form of “purgatory” that would turn Britain into a “vassal state”. | |
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